This invention relates to a powder compacting press which uses tool sets to manufacture powder compacts such as sintered parts.
With a powder compacting press, a plurality of tools (including a die, a core and punches) are used to make a compact with a complicated shape having two or more steps. In the tool sets, a plurality of tools are mounted on respective tool holding plates. The tool holding plates are guided by guide rods to keep them parallel to one another. Some of the tools are operated by driving mechanisms such as a cylinder attached to the tool holding plates or by mechanical interlocking mechanisms.
In order to increase the rate of operation of the press, it is a general practice to provide a plurality of tool sets on a single press. Therefore, it is necessary to provide as many driving mechanisms as there are tool sets. When changing the setup, it is necessary to couple the driving mechanisms to a hydraulic, pneumatic or electric power source. Also, the operation control mechanism and the tool position adjusting mechanism have to be attached to each tool set. This will increase the cost of the tool sets and the time used to couple the driving source. Further, there is a problem that the various tool sets have different functions with respect to one another.